Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar Exit WTT Champions Macao in Round One Ahead of Asian Games

India’s leading men’s doubles pair Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar will head into the Asian Games 2026 looking to quickly put their latest singles results behind them after both paddlers suffered first-round defeats at the WTT Champions Macao.

Manush and Manav, who are set to be part of India’s table tennis contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, were unable to progress beyond the opening round of the prestigious event. While Manush was beaten in straight games by Sweden’s Anton Kallberg, Manav put up a stronger fight against French sixth seed Alexis Lebrun before eventually going down in four games.

The results will be disappointing individually, but the timing of the tournament means both players still have an important opportunity ahead of them. Their primary focus now shifts towards the Asian Games, where the Gujarat-based paddlers will compete across multiple events.

Manush faced a difficult opening-round assignment against Sweden’s Anton Kallberg and was unable to find a way into the contest. The Indian went down 10-12, 5-11, 6-11, with the opening game proving to be his best opportunity to put pressure on his opponent.

At 10-12, Manush came within touching distance of taking the first game, but Kallberg held his nerve to edge ahead. Once the Swede had established the advantage, he controlled the second and third games more comfortably.

Manush managed only five points in the second game and six in the third as Kallberg completed a straight-games victory. The defeat follows Manush's Round of 16 exit at the WTT Contender Almaty. There, he was beaten 3-0 by Russia’s Denis Ivonin, losing 8-11, 6-11, 6-11. With the Asian Games now approaching, Manush will be hoping to regain his best rhythm when the stakes become significantly higher.

Manav Pushes Lebrun Before Going Down

Manav Thakkar had a more competitive outing, although he too was unable to survive the opening round. The Indian was drawn against France’s sixth seed Alexis Lebrun, a formidable opponent on the international circuit. Manav fought hard in the opening game, but Lebrun eventually edged it 14-12. The Frenchman then took control in the second game, winning 11-4 and moving within one game of victory.

Manav refused to surrender, however. He produced his strongest stretch of the match in the third game, winning 11-9 to reduce the deficit and briefly give himself a chance of forcing a decider.

That comeback ultimately proved short-lived. Lebrun responded emphatically in the fourth game, winning 11-3 to close out the match 3-1. For Manav, the performance offered some positives despite the early exit. Taking a game off a seeded player and competing closely in the opening game demonstrated that he could challenge a high-level opponent, even if he could not sustain the pressure throughout the contest.

His previous singles appearance came at the Europe Smash, where he lost in the first round to Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto 9-11, 8-11, 6-11.

The immediate challenge for both paddlers is to turn their attention towards the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Manush and Manav are not travelling to Japan merely as singles competitors. The pair will feature across several events, making the Asian Games a much bigger opportunity than their individual campaigns in Macao. Both will compete in the men’s singles and team events, while they will also combine in the men’s doubles competition.

That doubles partnership could be particularly important for India. Manush and Manav are ranked World No. 3 together in men’s doubles, making them one of the strongest pairs in the Asian Games field. Their success as a combination has already established them as serious contenders on the international circuit, and expectations will naturally be high when they take the court in Aichi-Nagoya.

Manush will also have another assignment in mixed doubles, partnering Diya Chitale.

The WTT Champions Macao exits underline the challenge of competing against the world's elite, but they do not necessarily provide a complete picture of India's Asian Games prospects. Manush's match against Kallberg was decided by his inability to convert the opening game, while Manav managed to take a game from one of the tournament's seeded players before Lebrun regained control.

The two Indians will now have time to reset and prepare specifically for the Asian Games. The multi-event format will also allow them to contribute to India's campaign beyond singles. Their doubles partnership, in particular, could prove crucial given their world ranking and established chemistry. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games therefore represent a fresh opportunity.

The WTT Champions Macao may have ended earlier than Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar would have wanted, but their biggest assignment of this phase of the season is still ahead. With medals on the line across singles, doubles and team competition, India's top men's doubles duo will have several opportunities to make their mark in Japan.